Metal base ball bat

• US 6,709,352 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marucci Sports, LLC
• Original Assignee: Joel N. Albin
• Inventors: Albin, Joel N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US09/990,986
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 473/564-568, 473/519, 473/520
• US Class Current: 473/520
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 49/12 made of metal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/50 Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/51 made of metal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/14 Coverings specially adapted for handles, e.g. sleeves or ribbons
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

An improved tubular metal base ball bat that includes a damping device having a mass suspended by a number of resilient supports that is mechanically coupled to the hand gripping end of the bat.

Claims

1. A metal baseball bat comprising:

(a) a tubular outer metal shell portion that tapers from a tubular ball striking end down to a tubular hand gripping end;

(b) a vibration damping mechanism coupled to the tubular outer metal shell portion for rapidly damping vibrations caused in the tubular outer metal shell portion by the impact between the ball striking end of the tubular metal shell portion and a baseball;

(c) the vibration damping mechanism being mechanically coupled to the tubular hand gripping end of the tubular outer metal shell portion around a hand gripping end circumference thereof and including a damping mass supported by a resilient surrounding support structure formed from a number of resilient mass supports extending between a resilient outer attachment ring and an inner damping mass holding ring;

(d) the inner damping mass holding ring being within the resilient outer attachment ring;

(e) the resilient outer attachment ring having an outer ring attachment circumference mechanically coupled to the hand gripping end circumference such that vibrations travel from the hand gripping end circumference to the outer ring attachment circumference; and

(e) each of said resilient mass supports having at least some portion that is not radially oriented with respect to the radii of said outer attachment ring.

2. The improved metal baseball bat of claim 1 wherein:

the outer ring attachment circumference of the resilient outer attachment ring is directly mechanically coupled to the hand gripping end circumference by direct connection with an interior circumferential surface of the tubular gripping end.

3. The bat of claim 1, wherein said mass supports are Y-shaped.

4. The bat of claim 1, wherein said mass supports are substantially shaped like an arc having an open side and a closed side, each said open side of each support facing the closed side of an adjacent support.

5. A metal baseball bat comprising:

(a) a tubular outer metal shell portion that tapers from a tubular ball striking end down to a tubular hand gripping end;

(b) an attachment fixture having;

(i) a plug end inserted into and in direct contact with an interior circumferential surface of said tubular hand gripping end; and

(ii) a resonating ring end at least partially forming a vibration damping mechanism receiving cavity, said resonating ring end having an inner wall surface;

(c) a vibration damping mechanism comprising;

(i) a damping mass supported by a resilient surrounding support structure formed from a number of resilient mass supports extending between a resilient outer attachment ring and an inner damping mass holding ring; and

(ii) said inner damping mass holding ring being within the resilient outer attachment ring;

(d) said outer attachment ring being coupled to said inner wall surface of said resonating ring; and

(e) said resonating ring being in direct mechanical connection with said plug end of said attachment fixture such that vibrational forces generated in said tubular outer metal shell portion of said bat are transferred between said tubular hand gripping end and said vibration damping mechanism through said resonating ring.

6. The bat of claim 5, wherein said mass supports are substantially shaped like an arc having an open side and a closed side, each said open side of each support facing the closed side of an adjacent support.